News Release

Eligible children from families in Gravenhurst now have a no-cost family dental program to help them get and maintain good oral health via a new mobile dental clinic operated by the dental team at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

Eligible children from families in Gravenhurst now have a no-cost family dental program to help them get and maintain good oral health via a new mobile dental clinic operated by the dental team at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

The health unit is now booking appointments in Gravenhurst for the Healthy Smiles Ontario program, which provides access to dental services for children 17 years and younger who are members of a family with an Adjusted Family Net Income of $20,000 or less and who have no access to any other form of dental coverage. Service will be delivered in the new mobile clinic, which will be parked at the health unit office at 2-5 Pineridge Gate when the clinic is in the community.

“Local families who do not have dental plans and often cannot afford dental care for their children now have access to the kind of regular care they need to keep their teeth healthy,” said Bonnie Jeffrey, manager of the health unit’s oral health program. “Oral health has a direct impact on overall health, so a no-cost dental program that prevents decay in the very youngest members of our community will pay off over a lifetime.”

In addition to the mobile clinic, which will visit communities in Simcoe Muskoka, children can also access Healthy Smiles Ontario by visiting a participating dental care provider, or they can visit the full care dental clinic in the health unit’s Barrie clinic. Seven full-time staff, including two dentists, have been hired by the health unit to care for eligible children.

Regular trips to the dentist or dental hygienist help to prevent cavities and other dental problems that can contribute to diseases later in life. The program will give kids access to check-ups, cleaning, fillings, x-rays and more.

To find out if your children are eligible for Healthy Smiles Ontario and to book an appointment, or for more information about other health unit dental programs, call Your Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or check www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

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